USC's Mayo received cash, TV, and other benefits while at USC

[JasperDog94]

link (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3390695)

Former USC basketball player O.J. Mayo, a projected lottery pick in this year's NBA draft, received thousands of dollars in cash, clothes and other benefits in apparent violation of NCAA rules while he was still in high school and during his one year in college, a former Mayo associate told ESPN's "Outside the Lines."

Louis Johnson, who was a part of Mayo's inner circle until recently, said Mayo accepted around $30,000 in cash and gifts during the past four years from Rodney Guillory, a 43-year-old Los Angeles event promoter. In addition to cash, the gifts included a flat-screen television for Mayo's dorm room, cell phone service, a hotel room, clothes, meals and airline tickets for Mayo's friends and a relative, according to Johnson, others with knowledge of the gifts and store receipts.

When Mayo was in high school in Ohio and West Virginia, Guillory was receiving monthly payments from the Northern California sports agency Bill Duffy Associates. Johnson said BDA provided Guillory with around $200,000 before Mayo arrived at USC, and that Guillory used most of the money to support his own lifestyle but also gave a portion of it to Mayo.

In exchange for the payments and gifts, Mayo entered into a verbal agreement to allow BDA represent him when he turned pro, Johnson told "Outside the Lines."

Providing athletes with money or other benefits is a violation, according to NCAA rules. In California, it's a misdemeanor for sports agents and their representatives to provide cash or gifts to student-athletes.

Mayo played one season at USC before declaring for the NBA draft in April. He named BDA's Calvin Andrews his agent.

Johnson also said that Duffy's company helped Guillory purchase a $50,000 Infiniti SUV from a Northern California car dealership co-owned by former USC and San Francisco 49ers defensive back Ronnie Lott and his 49ers teammate, Keena Turner.

After Duffy's company quit funding Guillory last year, Johnson says Guillory gave Mayo the flat-screen television, a hotel room and meals -- and paid for it with a credit card that belongs to a nonprofit organization called "The National Organization of Sickle Cell Prevention and Awareness Foundation." The organization has never been registered as a charitable trust with the California Attorney General's Office. Mary E. Brown, president and CEO of the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California, said she had never heard of the foundation for which Guillory charged purchases through.

Johnson provided "Outside the Lines" with receipts and invoices for many of the purchases, including the cell phone service.

Johnson said he believes USC officials were unaware that Guillory was providing cash and other benefits to Mayo. He did say that members of the USC coaching staff had regular contact with Guillory.

Guillory was also involved with former USC basketball player Jeff Trepagnier, who was suspended in 2000 for taking illegal benefits (the NCAA ruled that Guillory had purchased airfare for Trepagnier and Fresno State's Tito Maddox).

Mayo, officials at Bill Duffy Associates and officials at USC all declined to be interviewed by "Outside the Lines."

In a statement, Mayo said: "I am focusing on the process of making my dream come true, which is to play professional basketball. I will not allow these allegations to become a distraction to me and my family. I have been through investigations by the NCAA, the Pac Ten and USC before I attended school and during the time I have been here. I have not engaged in any wrongdoing. If these claims were true I would suspect they would have been discovered by one of these organizations."

Of Guillory, Mayo said in his statement: "Rodney has been a positive influence on me as well as a strong African-American male presence in my life. Recently, my mother had the opportunity to spend time with Rodney as well, and has shared her appreciation for the way he has always treated me like I was family when I was so far away from home. I have nothing but respect for Rodney."

Duffy and Andrews said in a statement: "In the competitive environment of our business, these types of unsubstantiated assertions occur every year, particularly at this time. Our mission will continue to focus on the business of our current and prospective clients and let the record of our hard work, adherence to rules and regulations, and client satisfaction, speak for itself."

USC issued a statement, saying: "The NCAA and the Pac-10 reviewed O.J. Mayo's amateur status before and during his enrollment at USC, and did not identify any amateurism violations. Mayo and USC fully cooperated in these investigations. The University investigated and reported a violation involving Mayo's receipt of tickets to a Denver Nuggets game from his friend Carmelo Anthony. Mayo's eligibility was reinstated after he made a charitable contribution in the amount of the value of the tickets."

Johnson told ESPN he didn't get paid, but hoped to profit once Mayo made it to the NBA. He said he fell out of favor with Mayo because Guillory created a strain in the relationship by misrepresenting things Johnson allegedly said about Mayo and, eventually, sabotaging their relationship.

[Diocletian]

I guess hollywood needs to make another movie like "Blue Chips" to teach the public about what's going on with stuff like this.

Such a shame that cheaters can't win though...

[Emerson1]

Who cares?

ESPN should have spent as much time investigating Reggie Bush as they did O.J. Mayo

[Dogman_1969]

USC doens't run a very clean program but due to the school and the area that it is in the NCAA turns a deaf ear to them. SMU didn't receive the same yrs ago. Wonder what the trojans would look like after the death penalty???????

[Phil C]

Originally posted by Dogman_1969
USC doens't run a very clean program but due to the school and the area that it is in the NCAA turns a deaf ear to them. SMU didn't receive the same yrs ago. Wonder what the trojans would look like after the death penalty???????

NCAA is not consistent. If Oklahoma or USC does something wrong it is a slap on the wrist. If it is A&M or SMU it is the death penalty or more severe penalties.

[kaorder1999]

I think it was said best on Mike and Mike in the morning this morning. With the new NBA rule where you have to go to college at least one year before being eligible for the draft, it makes it MUCH easier for stuff like this to happen. A kid like Mayo knew he would just spend one year at USC, thus, nothing could ever happen to him. USC could get in trouble but the individual never will!!

[SWMustang]

From what I've read and saw on OTL this is a much more damning story to USC than the Reggie Bush incident. Guillory had provided plane tickets to some basketball players on the 2001 team. USC can't claim any plausible deniability with this. They knew Mayo had a close relationship with this scoundrel.

[NastySlot]

Wow cheating in basketball..........and it involves OJ Mayo....im in shock.........thats the kid that not only transfered to a bunch of high schools he changed to an out of state high school.........like i need another reason to not watch basketball on any level.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by NastySlot
Wow cheating in basketball..........and it involves OJ Mayo....im in shock.........thats the kid that not only transfered to a bunch of high schools he changed to an out of state high school.........like i need another reason to not watch basketball on any level. And the guy on OTL said that "he didn't really have a choice" given the situation he was in.:rolleyes: :rolleyes: There's always a choice.

[Phil C]

All in all - another victim of society. :(

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Phil C
All in all - another victim of society. :(

Are you sure that he didn't victimize society by taking goods and money that could have gone to help far needier people.

Chew on that for a while when you go to sip your next cup of coffee...:thinking:

[BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END]

Who cares about it, really? You want to get mad at the college students for making themselves a little money for their talents but the NCAA is all for the schools they represent to make millions upon millions every game in ticket sales and then even more on apparell and other good that bear the last names and likeness of said athletes. It's a huge double standard as the NCAA tries to regulate too much.

[Texasfootball2]

Originally posted by BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END
Who cares about it, really? You want to get mad at the college students for making themselves a little money for their talents but the NCAA is all for the schools they represent to make millions upon millions every game in ticket sales and then even more on apparell and other good that bear the last names and likeness of said athletes. It's a huge double standard as the NCAA tries to regulate too much.

They have to regulate it or collegiate sports as we know would no longer exist. It is a big time business, but the athletes are still getting a free education at some outstanding institutions. I agree that there should be some financial perk because the rules say you can't work while your on scholarship, but I don't think it's a double standard when large amounts of money are being thrown around for the purpose of recruiting. I understand the "you can't blame the kids philosophy", because many of these kids are not from afluent backgrounds, but not only does the NCAA need to regulate it, but I think they need to crack down on these types of situation. If they want to make a huge statement to the rest of the NCAA schools they will slap USC with a serious infraction.

And that millions upon millions that you refer to goes for providing you (the athlete) with the top of the line facilities, first class training tables meals, first class accomodations of road trips, and probably the nicest living facilities on campus. These things cost $$$, if it wasn't first class, you would probably complain about how cheap they are. And I know what it's like from your view point, I was a college fb player myself.

[BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END]

Originally posted by Texasfootball2
They have to regulate it or collegiate sports as we know would no longer exist. It is a big time business, but the athletes are still getting a free education at some outstanding institutions. I agree that there should be some financial perk because the rules say you can't work while your on scholarship, but I don't think it's a double standard when large amounts of money are being thrown around for the purpose of recruiting. I understand the "you can't blame the kids philosophy", because many of these kids are not from afluent backgrounds, but not only does the NCAA need to regulate it, but I think they need to crack down on these types of situation. If they want to make a huge statement to the rest of the NCAA schools they will slap USC with a serious infraction.

And that millions upon millions that you refer to goes for providing you (the athlete) with the top of the line facilities, first class training tables meals, first class accomodations of road trips, and probably the nicest living facilities on campus. These things cost $$$, if it wasn't first class, you would probably complain about how cheap they are. And I know what it's like from your view point, I was a college fb player myself.
No, I agree with what you're saying. Too much of it would definitely be a bad thing, but I could definitely understand there being a few perks to being an athlete as long as it were equal amongst all players and wasn't something that was an extreme amount. I just think there should be a little more given to college athletes, not many people really realize what we go through and it's hard to juggle everything. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, life is great and I love it, but as I said, it's really not fair to the athletes when you consider what the NCAA and universities receive for the work that we put in. I'm sure as a former athlete you can understand that.

[Texasfootball2]

Originally posted by BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END
No, I agree with what you're saying. Too much of it would definitely be a bad thing, but I could definitely understand there being a few perks to being an athlete as long as it were equal amongst all players and wasn't something that was an extreme amount. I just think there should be a little more given to college athletes, not many people really realize what we go through and it's hard to juggle everything. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, life is great and I love it, but as I said, it's really not fair to the athletes when you consider what the NCAA and universities receive for the work that we put in. I'm sure as a former athlete you can understand that.

I feel your pain man. My parents were not in a position to provide me with a whole lot of spending $$ when I was in college. Because I was a scholarship athlete I was not able to work, not even partime in the offseason. To me it's a simple solution. A weelky set amount of Per Dium for schalorship athlete's is easy to regulate, and it doesn't even have to be a whole lot. It would take the pressure off some of these kids to look elsewhere for spending money. It is a great life, and something that very few people get to experience.

While were on the subject I'll go ahead and throw my two cents in on a possible solution to some of the problem. I know there are some legal holes to this but let's just use the Mayo case as an example. If your are caught in this type of illegal activity you may pay a series of penalties.

Examples:

1. You must forfeit any college credits earned and or degree.
2. The agents involved should be subject to a federal crime which carries serious jail time.
3. (Most Important of all but would take an act of congress) You would be banned from the professional sports league of your sport for two years, in this case Mayo would not be eligible for the NBA draft until 2010.

These types of penalties would stop most of it, not all , but most. I understand our constitution probably wouldn't allow it, but something definitley needs to be done. Whats not fair is that Mayo can go on to the NBA and make millions and the athletes he left behind at USC will have to pay the penalty. This is what hacks me off. They have to find a way for the guilty athlete to pay the penalty and thats why they have to get the Professional sports leagues involved.

I know this will never happen, but it sounds good.:D

[SWMustang]

The order of responisibility

1) Agents/Boosters - whoever is providing the illegal benefits
I think they should be stripped by the NFL/NBA of representation privielges


2) Student - Serious financial penalties should they sign a pro contract


3) University - Certainly in USC's case

[g$$]

Originally posted by Texasfootball2
I feel your pain man. My parents were not in a position to provide me with a whole lot of spending $$ when I was in college. Because I was a scholarship athlete I was not able to work, not even partime in the offseason.

Why couldn't you work in the offseason? Scholarship athletes can hold a job certain times of the year. I know, because I worked at A&M & we employed some in the summer (football included). Plus I played college baseball before that.

I agree with much of what you said, but here's the problem:

--how do you pay a stipend to athletes from revenue sports (football, basketball) & then not pay everyone else (equestrian, tennis. etc.)? You're talking 20+ sports. You can't pay one & not pay them all. That's been the argument for years. NCAA will not budge on this for obvious reasons. They would be subject to lawsuits & discrimination cases if they only paid a select few a stipend to help.

Something has to be done to keep these agents & hangers-on away from the athletes. They are bad news. Hitting USC hard would help.

[Texasfootball2]

Originally posted by g$$
Why couldn't you work in the offseason? Athletes can hold a job certain times of year. I know, because I worked at A&M & we employed some in the summer (football included). Plus I played college baseball before that.

I agree with much of what you said, but here's the problem:

--how do you pay a stipend to athletes from revenue sports (football, basketball) & then not pay everyone else (equestrian, tennis. etc.)? You're talking 20+ sports. You can't pay one & not pay them all. That's been the argument for years. NCAA will not budge on this for obvious reasons. They would be subject to lawsuits & discrimination cases if they only paid a select few a stipend to help.

Something has to be done to keep these agents & hangers-on away from the athletes. They are bad news. You can work during the summer, just not while the fall and spring semesters are in session.

And I said "Scholarship" athletes, and I did not specify by sports. The rules mostly the same for all sports with one exception. Football is the only sport that is not allowed to give partial scholarships of any kind. In football, it's a "full" or nothing. They would have to prorate the per dium for the partial scholarship athlete accordingly, but they should and could all be treated equally. The ones who get the shaft would be the walk ons. These athletes put in the same amount of time. Legally they could have jobs, but there is not enough time during their busy schedules to have a job, but there is not much you can do about it.

[g$$]

Originally posted by Texasfootball2
You can work during the summer, just not while the fall and spring semesters are in session.

And I said "Scholarship" athletes, and I did not specify by sports. The rules mostly the same for all sports with one exception. Football is the only sport that is not allowed to give partial scholarships of any kind. In football, it's a "full" or nothing. They would have to prorate the per dium for the partial scholarship athlete accordingly, but they should and could all be treated equally. The ones who get the shaft would be the walk ons. These athletes put in the same amount of time. Legally they could have jobs, but there is not enough time during their busy schedules to have a job, but there is not much you can do about it.

Wrong - basketball is a head count sport too, men & women. All or none, no partials. Sports are either head count (full) or partials (meaning %).

Football gets 85 full rides (used to get 110, then 95, 90, now 85). Shaft? Try baseball where each D1 team gets 11.7 scholarships for the WHOLE team, divided up many ways. Rarely does a baseball player get a full ride. Softball gets more, as do others. Women's basketball gets 15 to men's 13 scholarships (full). That is all Title IX gender equity stuff & another topic.

[Texasfootball2]

Originally posted by g$$
Wrong - basketball is a head count sport too, men & women. All or none, no partials. Sports are either head count (full) or partials (meaning %).

Football gets 85 full rides (used to get 110, then 95, 90, now 85). Shaft? Try baseball where each D1 team gets 11.7 scholarships for the WHOLE team, divided up many ways. Rarely does a baseball player get a full ride. Softball gets more, as do others. Women's basketball gets 15 to men's 13 scholarships (full). That is all Title IX gender equity stuff & another topic.

I know that's what it has always been, but I think(and I could be wrong) a couple of years ago they lessened the total # for basketball and then made it available to partial the last two scholarships into 50% or 4 halfs. Like I said I could be wrong, but thats why I included basketball with the other sports. I guess I could look up the new rules but I don't have time, besides someone on hear probably already has it cut and pasted for me.:D

You can include soccer in with those, they get 11 scholarships and also try to field a roster of 25 with 11 players on the field at one time. percebtage wise soccer probably gets the biggest shaft.

[g$$]

Originally posted by Texasfootball2
I know that's what it has always been, but I think(and I could be wrong) a couple of years ago they lessened the total # for basketball and then made it available to partial the last two scholarships into 50% or 4 halfs. Like I said I could be wrong, but thats why I included basketball with the other sports. I guess I could look up the new rules but I don't have time, besides someone on hear probably already has it cut and pasted for me.:D

Not that I know of, but I can ask & see. I have a Sports Administration Degree & have worked in this stuff for years at the college level. NCAA has some crazy rules & we get tested on them periodically. I have worked primarily in academics, compliance, fundraising, & Football Ops. Maybe I missed it, but to my knowledge basketball is still a head count sport. Men get 13 & women 15 last I checked (full). Even if that's true, they still give out full rides, as opposed to other sports like baseball, track, etc. Correct me if you find out differently for D1-A.

[LHTT]

Does it matter since he is goin to the NBA anyways..

[g$$]

Originally posted by Texasfootball2

You can include soccer in with those, they get 11 scholarships and also try to field a roster of 25 with 11 players on the field at one time. percebtage wise soccer probably gets the biggest shaft.

Baseball has 35-40 guys on team, with 25-30 on some form of scholarship (look at rosters on web). For next year, the NCAA has changed the baseball rules. Every player on scholarship has to get at least 33%. This will limit roster size in the future.

The sports offering only partials have a tough job, agreed. They recruit with a calculator in hand to see what they can give a kid & still maximize their roster.

[Texasfootball2]

Originally posted by g$$
Not that I know of but I can ask. I have a Sports Administration degree & have worked in this stuff for years at the college level. NCAA has some crazy rules & we get tested on them periodically. I have worked primarily in academics, compliance, fundraising, & Football Ops. Maybe I missed it, but to my knowledge basketball is still a head count sport. Men get 13 & women 15 last I checked (full).

Like I said, I could be wrong, but I think because of title 9, when they gave the women 15 and the men 13 they allowed the men to break up the last two to make up the difference in numbers without messing with the title 9 actual numbers. This title 9 has been a double edge sword if you ask me. I'm all for giving the women sports their coudoo's but I has also taken away some pretty good and successful mens programs along with other sports. An example is the men's swimming program at UCLA, was a national powerhouse and then:redxpoke: GONE:foul: very sad.

[g$$]

Originally posted by Texasfootball2
Like I said, I could be wrong, but I think because of title 9, when they gave the women 15 and the men 13 they allowed the men to break up the last two to make up the difference in numbers without messing with the title 9 actual numbers. This title 9 has been a double edge sword if you ask me. I'm all for giving the women sports their coudoo's but I has also taken away some pretty good and successful mens programs along with other sports. An example is the men's swimming program at UCLA, was a national powerhouse and then:redxpoke: GONE:foul: very sad.

JUCO national power Blinn (Brenham) had to drop men's track too. Lots of examples of this. It's federal law, gotta obey.

[Texasfootball2]

Originally posted by g$$
JUCO national power Blinn (Brenham) had to drop men's track too. Lots of examples of this. It's federal law, gotta obey.

Like I said, Double edge sword.:D

[kaorder1999]

Originally posted by LHTT
Does it matter since he is goin to the NBA anyways..
nothing will eve rhappen to him individually but IF these things did happen while he was in college at USC....the school could be punished

[jason]

Originally posted by kaorder1999
nothing will eve rhappen to him individually but IF these things did happen while he was in college at USC....the school could be punished and he probably couldnt care less - in his mind, he thinks he was doing usc a favor by going to school there....

[kaorder1999]

Originally posted by jason
and he probably couldnt care less - in his mind, he thinks he was doing usc a favor by going to school there....

exactly....it was just a place to hang out until the draft!

[DU_stud04]

Originally posted by jason
and he probably couldnt care less - in his mind, he thinks he was doing usc a favor by going to school there.... exactly. the thing with oj mayo is stupid, he only went to usc to try and bring a non basktball team to the show and become a legand there....didnt happen, but hes going pro now. if the stupid rule didnt exist, he wouldn't had to have waited a year to get in the nba.

[LH Panther Mom]

Originally posted by SWMustang
The order of responisibility

2) Student - Serious financial penalties should they sign a pro contract

Maybe the student athlete should have to reimburse the college for the amount of the scholarship. :)